Details Released In Lakeview High School Counselor On Unpaid Leave For Misconduct

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School Counselor Joseph Pitts, Jr (40) of Sturtevant
(LakeView Facebook Page)

Details were released in the investigation of LakeView High School Counselor Joseph Pitts, Jr (40) of Sturtevant, WI. According to a source, and later confirmed by KUSD spokesman Tanya Ruder, Joseph Pitts is on leave from his job as counselor at the high school.

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The Kenosha Unified School District was made aware of allegations of misconduct on February 21, 2023, and an in-depth investigation was immediately launched. Pitts was placed on paid leave until the investigation concluded on March 20, 2023. Pitts was then moved to unpaid leave on March 21, 2023.

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KCE learned that Pleasant Prairie Police was asked by the district to investigate if any criminal charges were warranted. According to the police report:

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On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the mother and father of “Jane Doe” came into LakeView High School Principal Bethany Ormseth’s office. They were there to notify the district that Pitts, Jr was having a romantic relationship with their daughter Jane, who had just turned 18. She graduated from the high school in June of 2022. Jane’s parents had learned that Jane was spending time at Pitts’ home in Sturtevant.

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Jane’s mom started looking into the relationship between Pitts and Jane. She noticed on the phone bill that her daughter and Pitts would talk on the phone many times for hours when Jane was still 17 years old and a student at LakeView. The phone was Pitts’ personal cell phone. Jane’s mom confronted her about the relationship and she told her mom that she was in love with Pitts. Jane told her parents that the romantic relationship started when she turned 18, but her parents didn’t believe her. They think that Pitts “groomed” Jane. (Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust, and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit, and sexually abuse them.)

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Pleasant Prairie investigators spoke with Pitts at LakeView High School. Pitts admitted to a current romantic relationship with Jane, but later said they were just “friends.” While Jane was a student, he said the two had a “unique thing” and “special bond” but denied any physical contact. He told investigators he never gave out his personal phone numbers to students, but did with Jane because of the “special bond.” He said he never planned on a romantic relationship, but it “just sort of happened” after she turned 18. He said they slept in the same bed, kissed, and touched each other’s genitals under the clothes, but didn’t admit to oral sex or intercourse.

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Pitts and Jane exchanged letters at graduation that used the word “love” in them. Pitts told police their first time seeing each other outside of school was at a graduation party, and shortly thereafter, at Pitts’ home.

Police asked Pitts for consent to look through his phone and he declined. Police seized the phone but couldn’t go through it without a search warrant. Pitts gave conflicting stories during the interview. For example, he initially denied that Jane spent the night at his house in February, then said he didn’t remember, then said “yes.” Pitts was worried that people would think the relationship started when Jane was still a student but he said it wasn’t like that. Detective Hoffman asked Pitts if he really thought it was a good idea for a 40-year-old man to have a romantic relationship with a former student that just turned 18. Pitts went silent and never answered the question. Pitts said, “This isn’t what it seems like. Looking [back] at this back, I get how it sounds. It’s not. I never did anything with her until she was eighteen.” Pitts then stated, “It does not look good because we did talk a lot on the phone.” He then referred to
his phone and said, “And now, it’s going to look weird that, like there is no, everything is off of it, because I just recently was clearing all the stuff off of it.” Pitts was then asked when and if he had deleted anything off of his phone and he said “like today, cus the storage was all used up.”

Investigators consulted with DA Mike Graveley and ADA Drew Lehman and drafted a search warrant for the cell phone. Unfortunately, stopping the investigation in its tracks, and leading to the non-prosecution, Judge Jason Rossell refused to sign the search warrant, citing no probable cause.

Investigators spoke to Jane at the Pleasant Prairie Police Department. Jane was asked if she thought that Pitts was grooming her and she said, “During school? No. During the summer, like the month before I because an adult? I guess you could say that was special attention but at the same time, like…that’s a short period to groom someone.” Jane did admit to being at Pitt’s house while she was still a student. She saved his cell phone number into her phone as her cousin, so her parents wouldn’t know.

According to the report, KUSD is planning to “charge” Pitts with “texting students, grooming students of color, and switching absences for students.”

KCE doesn’t have any update on Pitts’ employment status.

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  1. What the hell is “grooming a person of color”? How is that different from grooming a white person? Why on earth would KUSD differentiate based on the student’s “color”? (Or could that be a police-report error?) Sidebar: Does the color of the alleged groomer matter in any way?

    As far as the criminal law aspect, kudos to the judge for not signing a warrant. There doesn’t seem to be even an accusation of criminal activity, and certainly nothing more than mere suspicion based on what I’m reading here.

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    1. He’s known this student since they were a minor. That’s very weird considering he waited until the moment she turned 18.

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      1. definitely woke–i guess grooming a person of color is worse than grooming a white person these days

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    2. A girl gets groomed and you’re first thought is how white people were affected because they said “person of color”? Grow up.

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      1. So by your stupid “liberal” logic, if the student wasn’t a “person of color”, it would have been OK then? Grow up.

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      2. Why would you assume it was a first thought? And why would you be so shallow as to think that it’s not allowable to multitask and be a offended and appalled by many different things from the same pathetic story? Race was brought up by the school leadership that for some bizarre reason had to separate grooming into colors. Do not mention the absurdity of that would be as silly as you are with a comment alleging that it is wrong to mention it at all.

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  2. I don’t know that I’m especially horrified considering she was close to being illegal adult, but refusing to sign the warrant was ridiculous. Do you honestly believe anyone who erases their phone information the minute the police want to look at it? Is it legal? I have no idea, but I know that it’s nothing you would believe if your child came home with a bike that you’d never seen before and a story like the one coming from this counselor. At this point I guess I leave it to the parents to decide what they feel is needed and if we have any legal basis to follow their train of thought. So far it looks like the law is able but not willing to investigate a possible crime

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    1. I wonder if the student gave permissions to police to search her phone? It doesn’t seem like it, as those contents should have been enough probable cause to obtain a warrant to search his phone.

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  3. Another sick, pedo groomer exposed. KUSD would have just swept this one under the rug if it wasn’t for you Kevin.

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  4. Jimmy P got to skip town and now grooms in another state. This groomer will do the same. Illinois wants him.

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  5. The guy looks gay, opposed to being straight. Perhaps he swings both ways!

    Anyways WTF is wrong with both of these people thinking it’s okay for a 40 year old and 18 year old to have a relationship! Perhaps she has Daddy issues and looking for a father figure to replace her own Dad. Why else would a student get involved with their teacher!! They are both sickos!!

    And that judge needs to go!!!

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  6. Laura, Laura, Laura….you couldn’t even find enough PC for a search warrant? I never had ANY SW refused in my time! Are you getting soft? Dig…dig…it it seems wrong, it is!

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  7. Deleting your physical phone texts and chats does not delete it from whatever server/app/cell provider records. The transmission data remains in tact if there were a search warrant granted.

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  8. I’ve got big balls
    I’ve got big balls
    They’re such big balls
    And they’re dirty big balls
    And he’s got big balls
    And she’s got big balls
    (But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all)
    And my balls are always bouncing
    My ballroom always full
    And everybody comes and comes again
    If your name is on the guest list
    No one can take you higher
    Everybody says I’ve got
    Great balls of fire

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  9. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⡿⠋⠁⠀⠀⠈⠉⠙⠻⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣿⠇⠀⢀⣴⣶⡾⠿⠿⠿⢿⣿⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⠀⣀⣀⣸⡿⠀⠀⢸⣿⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⣾⡟⠛⣿⡇⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣷⣤⣤⣤⣤⣶⣶⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠀⠀
    ⢀⣿⠀⢀⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⡏⠀⠀⠀⠀⢴⣶⣶⣿⣿⣿⣆
    ⢸⣿⠀⢸⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⣿⡇⣀⣠⣴⣾⣮⣝⠿⠿⠿⣻⡟
    ⢸⣿⠀⠘⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁⠉⠀
    ⠸⣿⠀⠀⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠟⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⠻⣷⣶⣿⣇⠀⠀⠀⢠⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣛⣛⣻⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣀⣀⣀⣼⡿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⡿

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  10. The dude is a good looking guy, no doubt he doesn’t have trouble attracting female attention. He succumbed to his physical desires, a very costly mistake in that he threw away his career, his reputation, and now the monetary and financial costs will begin. All men should take note of this and BEWARE, temptation is real and knowing this beforehand and evaluating what the potential costs of giving into temptation could be when you have a clear mind. I suspect he will be moving far, far away at the first opportunity.

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  11. ⣿⣯⣿⣟⣟⡼⣿⡼⡿⣷⣿⣿⣿⠽⡟⢋⣿⣿⠘⣼⣷⡟⠻⡿⣷⡼⣝⡿⡾⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⣿⢁⣵⡇⡟⠀⣿⣿⣿⠇⠀⡇⣴⣿⣿⣧⣿⣿⡇⠀⢣⣿⣷⣀⡏⢻⣿
    ⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⠷⠁⠀⠛⠛⠋⠀⠂⠹⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠉⠁⠀⠘⠛⠛⠛⠃⢸⣯
    ⣿⡇⠀⣄⣀⣀⣈⣁⠈⠉⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⠎⠈⠀⣀⣁⣀⣀⡠⠈⠉
    ⣿⣯⣽⡿⢟⡿⠿⠛⠛⠿⣶⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢠⣴⣾⠛⠛⠿⠻⠛⠿⣷⣶
    ⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⣿⡿⣶⣿⣫⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠰⣿⠿⠾⣿⡇⠀⠀⢺⣿
    ⣿⣿⠻⡀⠀⠀⠙⠏⠒⡻⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⡓⢚⠟⠁⠀⠀⡾⢫
    ⣿⣿⠀⠀⡀⠀⠀⡈⣉⡀⡠⣐⣅⣽⣺⣿⣯⡡⣴⣴⣔⣠⣀⣀⡀⢀⡀⡀⠀⣸
    ⣿⣿⣷⣿⣟⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⢾⣷⣿
    ⣿⣿⣟⠫⡾⠟⠫⢾⠯⡻⢟⡽⢶⢿⣿⣿⡛⠕⠎⠻⠝⠪⢖⠝⠟⢫⠾⠜⢿⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⣰⣋⣀⣈⣢⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣐⢸⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡔⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⡿⣿⣿⢽⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣾⣿⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠛⢅⣙⣙⠿⠉⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
    ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣤⣄⣅⠀⠓⠀⠀⣀⣠⣴⣺⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿

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  12. I hope he knows hes betrayed the trust of so many girls that trusted him. hes ruined any kind of admiration hes built with the students at lakeview. disgusting.

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    1. Absolutely! I can’t believe this. I’m in shock and disgusted. I can’t believe this man knew my deepest thoughts.

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  13. i remember multiple students complained abt this guy and staff did nun ? karma for that lame ass school

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  14. Guys, I need some money. I’m trying to ask out my friend EDP445 to a date. I was thinking about getting some cupcakes for him but I don’t know what flavor he likes. Any suggestions?

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  15. I’m not justifying Pitts actions or saying he is in the right, I’ve known Pitts since freshman year. He is someone that most of us enjoyed at the school, now Jane was 17 at the time during school and him giving her his phone number is non excusable m now we certainly don’t know exactly why he gave her the phone number but if you think about it and why these other kids have his phone number aswell is because he’s a guidance counselor. again I am not excusing him, but maybe the children were going through things mentally or had things going on at home like being neglected or physically abused or maybe traumas??? Personally I don’t think that Pitts would have sexual relations before she was legal, yes I think her being over at his house before the legal age of consent is very odd I don’t think he would’ve done something so idiotic. I don’t know. this is just my view.

    1. I promise you the older you get the more you’re going to realize how actually fucked up this behavior is.

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James R. Sanato, 47, of Illinois in Court Friday(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) BRISTOL, Wis. – A 47-year-old Zion, Illinois, man is facing five criminal charges in Kenosha County after allegedly strangling the mother of his child in front of their 5-year-old daughter and later making repeated racial slurs at a Black sheriff’s deputy during his arrest. You must be logged

Big Crowds, Big Fun: Das Fest Brings Gemütlichkeit to Kenosha County Fairgrounds for First Time

WILMOT, Wis. — With beer steins raised high, music in the air, and the joyful chaos of dachshunds in motion, Das Fest Wisconsin made a memorable debut at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds this weekend, drawing thousands of revelers for a celebration of all things German — and then some. Friday night’s crowd was nothing short of electric, with festivalgoers packing the grounds to

Jelly Roll Shines, Rain Falls, and Braxton Keith Impresses at 2025 Country Thunder

TWIN LAKES, Wis. – More than 100,000 people turned out for this year’s Country Thunder music festival, an annual four-day celebration of beer, boots and country music in western Kenosha County. Fans camped, danced and partied from Thursday through Sunday despite a muddy Saturday that brought rain delays and one canceled performance. Kenosha County Eye was in attendance Friday and caught rising Texas

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Hit-and-Run Driver Accused of Lying to Deputies, Violating Bond

Kadarius D. Bolden, 21, of Racine in Court Today(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — A 21-year-old Racine man is facing three misdemeanor charges after allegedly fleeing the scene of a highway crash in Somers and lying to deputies during the investigation. You must be logged in to view the rest of this article.

Kenosha Man Accused of Choking and Threatening Girlfriend, Held on $5,000 Bail

KENOSHA, Wis. — A Kenosha man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after sheriff’s deputies say he assaulted and choked his girlfriend during a violent confrontation Thursday night, all while out on bond in another domestic abuse case. Eric W. Gragen, 43, was formally charged Friday in Kenosha County Circuit Court with five criminal counts: strangulation and suffocation (domestic abuse), battery (domestic abuse),

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Waukegan Man Accused of Threatening to Kill Mother of His Children After Jail Release

Anthony D. Kindle Jr., 30, of Waukegan, Ill in Court Today(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) KENOSHA, Wis. — A 30-year-old Waukegan man was charged Friday with felony intimidation of a victim and two misdemeanors after allegedly showing up uninvited at his ex-girlfriend’s home and later threatening her repeatedly over the phone. You must be logged in to view the rest of

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Man Accused of Crawling Into Woman’s Bed at Country Thunder Camper Held on Bail

Preston Andrew Kelley, of Lodi, Wis. in Court Today(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) RANDALL, Wis. — A 20-year-old man is facing criminal charges after allegedly entering a stranger’s camper at the Country Thunder music festival and climbing into her bed while she was asleep. You must be logged in to view the rest of this article.

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Graffiti Suspect Charged in Vandalism Spree Targeting Kenosha Businesses

Alexander Robert Crosier, 34, in Court Today(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) KENOSHA, Wis. – A 34-year-old homeless man is facing three misdemeanor charges of graffiti after allegedly spray-painting skulls and slogans on three separate businesses in Kenosha during the early morning hours of July 10. You must be logged in to view the rest of this article.

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Kenosha Man Accused of Throwing Beer Bottle at Wife, Punching Her Repeatedly

Jose L. Cervantes, 41, of Kenosha(Kenosha County Sheriff) KENOSHA, Wis. — A 41-year-old Kenosha man was in court Thursday on charges of battery and disorderly conduct after allegedly striking his wife with a glass beer bottle and punching her several times during a domestic dispute. You must be logged in to view the rest of this article.

New Bill Would Let Adults Sue Doctors Over Gender Procedures They Received as Minors

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — A new bill introduced Thursday by State Rep. Amanda Nedweski and Sen. Rob Hutton would allow individuals to sue doctors and healthcare providers over gender transition procedures they underwent as minors—potentially decades after the fact. The legislation, known as LRB-2406, would create a civil cause of action for those who say they were harmed by puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones,

Wintrust to Open Bank Branch at Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood, First Private Development on 107-Acre Site

KENOSHA, Wis. — The first private development at the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood (KIN) has been announced: a community bank branch operated by Wintrust Financial Corporation. The new location, a branch of State Bank of the Lakes, will serve as a local hub for banking services, with added amenities like a community-accessible conference room. The bank, a subsidiary of Wintrust, has a longstanding footprint

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Illinois Man Accused of Making Sexual Comments to Minors at Kenosha Market

Kenosha Police Squad Cars(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye) KENOSHA, Wis. — A 65-year-old Illinois man has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct after allegedly making sexually inappropriate comments to teenage girls at Kenosha’s Harbor Market in May. You must be logged in to view the rest of this article.

Kenosha ICAC Unit Working to Catch Predators in the Digital Shadows

KENOSHA, Wis. — In a nondescript room inside the Kenosha Police Department, a specialized team of officers is waging a constant battle against one of society’s most disturbing threats: the online exploitation of children. Since forming in late 2024, the Kenosha Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit has been working nonstop to identify and arrest individuals engaging in child exploitation—known in law enforcement

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